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Saxophonist, Matt DeMerritt - *75 albums* recorded w/ Diana Krall, Macy Gray to Nine Inch Nails, Charlotte Gainsbourg to Everlast and more Matt DeMerritt Fool's Journey Label: Self-Released September 18, 2020 Matt DeMerritt began his musical journey in Denver, Colorado, at the age of nine when he started learning saxophone in the fourth grade in public school. By the time he was a sophomore in high school, he was lead alto in the Colorado All State Jazz Band, and already playing professional gigs and sitting in with pro jazz musicians at local clubs. He got a substantial educational boost from jazz camps led by Clark Terry and James Moody, as well as his own high school band director Jerry Noonan, who had worked with Stan Kenton and Buddy Rich. College consisted of Lawrence Conservatory and then William Paterson University. He had the opportunity to study with saxophonists Joe Lovano, Gary Smulyan, Steve Wilson, and Gerry Niewood, as well as improv and ensemble teachers Rufus Reid, Jim Mcneely, and Todd Coolman. During this time, he also had the opportunity to perform with many visiting greats, including Joe Henderson, Clark Terry, Benny Golson, Jerome Richardson, and Stanley Cowell. After college DeMerritt spent a year in Italy working on his very first professional recording dates with the producer Nicola Conte. He played on albums by Quintetto X and Paolo Achenza, among others, and led his own quartet. In 1997 he moved to LA at the invitation of a few of his musician friends and began an exciting and varied career as an LA sideman and session musician. His first gig was with “The Jade Vincent Experiment” (now known as “We Are Unloved”), an influential if not widely known band which one writer described as “Mingus meets Portishead.” Soon he was on tour with Macy Gray promoting her first album On How Life Is, traveling the world and headlining some of the biggest venues and festivals around the globe and jamming with legends, including Santana and Prince. His next gig was with Greg Kurstin’s project, “Action Figure Party, ” while concurrently co-founding “Dakah Hip Hop Orchestra, ” and joining the “Rhythm Roots Allstars, ” a band which eventually became De La Soul’s backing band, culminating in the GRAMMY Nominated album And The Anonymous Nobody. DeMerritt has since filled out the ranks of dozens of other projects and recorded on over 75 albums. He has recorded with artists diverse as Andra Day, Eels, Allen Stone, Ghostface Killah, Nine Inch Nails, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Everlast, Jamie Lidell, and Diana Krall. He has worked with many great producers including Beck, Trent Reznor, Quantic, Greg Kurstin, David Foster, Gabe Roth, and E. He can be seen backing up singers Gaby Moreno, Brenna Whitaker, and Rain Phoenix, and wildly improvising with the band Spain, led by Josh Haden, son of bassist Charlie Haden. He also fills out the front line of the New Orleans inspired “Mudbug Brass Band, ” drawing on his training and roots as a jazz musician. From time to time, he even makes appearances on the “Late Late Show with James Corden, ” augmenting the house band led by Reggie Watts. After 25 years as a sideman, Matt DeMerritt has finally made his own album, Fool’s Journey. Primarily a jazz album yet incorporating elements from the many different genres he has played over the years. Fool’s Journey was inspired by the mythic archetype of the Fool, a symbol which has appeared in art and literature throughout history. He goes on a journey of self-discovery, ending up right where he started, only wiser. DeMerritt spent all of 2019 composing and selecting music for the album and went into the studio to record in January 2020. He tapped his deep reservoir of A-list musician friends to help him realize his vision: pianist Sam Barsh, who wrote and produced on Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, one of many significant projects. Bassist Kaveh Rastagar of Kneebody and John Legend, drummers Gene Coye (Seal), Oliver Charles (Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals), Brock Avery (Wayne Kramer) and Scott Seiver (Tenacious D), guitarist Josh Lopez, MD for Nikka Costa, Princess, and Suzy Jones, Brazillian guitar sensation Fabiano Nascimento, percussionists Davey Chegwidden (De La Soul, Game of Thrones Live) and Satnam Ramgotra (Hans Zimmer), and the fantastic vocalist Suzy Williams who guests on DeMerritt’s original “Wellspring.” Track Names, Times, Composers 1.Zero Intro 0:55 2.Wellspring 5:37 3.Venice Lullaby 7:45 4.Elixir 6:49 5.Loner’s Waltz 5:39 6.Limbo 8:29 7.A House Is Not A Home 6:17 (Burt Bacharach/Hal David) 8.Lunedi 5:42 9.Montreux 6:33 (Hermeto Pascoal) 10.Earth 7:24 (Joe Henderson) 11.Zero Outro 1:07 All songs composed by Matt DeMerritt unless otherwise indicated Players, and Instruments: Matt DeMerritt: saxophone (all) Sam Barsh: piano, keyboards (2-10) Kaveh Rastegar: bass (2, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10) pr: Cah-Vay Rasta-gar Jonny Flaugher: bass (3, 7, 8) pr: Flower Gene Coye: drums (2-8) Brock Avery: drums (1, 11) Scott Seiver: drums (9) Oliver Charles: drums (10) Davey Chegwidden: percussion (2, 5, 9, 10) Satnam Ramgotra: tablas (10) Fabiano Nascimento: guitar (9) Josh Lopez: guitar (10) Suzy Williams: vocal (2) |
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